Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 241 / Monday, December 16, 2013 / Notices 76191 

submission of additional grants under 

this program based on the Notice of 

Funding Availability published by FRA 

on 10/13/2013 and the emergency 

clearance request approved by OMB on 

11/05/2013. Any grants submitted as 

part of this previous ICR were due by 

December 9, 2013. Therefore, this 

revision no longer includes any burden 

hours for the application process, as no 

new applications are being accepted at 

this time. 

Due to the nature of these disaster 

assistance funds, current economic 

conditions, and the various States need 

for immediate assistance to vital freight 

transportation pathways and the 

important role these sectors of 

transportation play in the overall 

national economy, FRA is requesting 

OMB to extend this ICR in order to 

manage the current grants obligated 

under this program until the remaining 

grants have properly closed-out and are 

completed. 

Form Number(s): SF–425, SF–271, 

SF–270. 

Affected Public: Railroads, 

Businesses, States/Local governments. 

Reporting Burden: Close-out 

Procedures. 

Respondent Universe: 49. 

Total Annual Responses: 6. 

Average time per response: 84. 

Total Annual Burden Hours: 504. 

Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 

5 CFR 1320.5(b), 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA 

informs all interested parties that it may 

not conduct or sponsor, and a 

respondent is not required to respond 

to, a collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 3, 

2013. 

Rebecca Pennington, 

Chief Financial Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2013–29769 Filed 12–13–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Safety Advisory 2013–08] 

Operational Tests and Inspections for 

Compliance With Maximum Authorized 

Train Speeds and Other Speed 

Restrictions 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of safety advisory; 

Operational tests and inspections for 

compliance with maximum authorized 

train speeds and other speed 

restrictions. 

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety 

Advisory 2013–08 to stress to railroads 

and their employees the importance of 

compliance with Federal regulations 

and applicable railroad operating rules 

regarding maximum authorized train 

speed limits and any relevant speed 

restrictions. This safety advisory 

contains five recommendations to 

railroads to ensure that compliance with 

maximum authorized speeds and other 

speed restrictions are addressed by 

appropriate railroad operating policies 

and procedures and to ensure that those 

policies and procedures are effectively 

implemented. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Herrmann, Acting Director, 

Office of Safety Assurance and 

Compliance, Office of Railroad Safety, 

FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590, telephone (202) 

493–6037. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

overall safety of railroad operations has 

improved in recent years. However, the 

recent fatal accident in Spuyten Duyvil, 

Bronx, New York, which is the subject 

of FRA’s Emergency Order No. 29, 

highlights the need to ensure that speed 

restrictions mandated by Federal 

regulation and those imposed by a 

railroad’s own operating rules are 

adhered to. That accident also 

demonstrates the importance of 

operational testing that pertains to 

ensuring employee compliance with 

applicable speed limitations and 

restrictions. 

Metro-North Spuyten Duyvil 

Derailment 

On Sunday, December 1, 2013, MetroNorth passenger train 8808 (Train 8808) 

was traveling south from Poughkeepsie, 

New York, to Grand Central Terminal in 

New York City when, at approximately 

7:20 a.m., the train derailed as it 

approached the Spuyten Duyvil Station. 

The train consisted of seven passenger 

coach cars, including a control cab 

locomotive in the lead position, and a 

conventional locomotive at the rear of 

the train, operating in a push-pull 

configuration (a control cab locomotive 

is both a passenger car, in that it has 

seats for passengers, and a locomotive, 

in that it has a control cab from which 

the engineer can operate the train). Each 

of the seven cars derailed along with the 

trailing locomotive. As of December 6, 

the derailment has resulted in four 

fatalities and more than 60 reported 

injuries. 

As is customary, the National 

Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has 

taken the lead role in conducting the 

investigation of this accident pursuant 

to its legal authority. 49 U.S.C. 1101 et 

seq.; 49 CFR 800.3(a), 831.2(b). FRA is 

also investigating the accident. As Train 

8808 approached the Spuyten Duyvil 

Station from the north, it traveled over 

a straightaway with a maximum 

authorized passenger train speed of 70 

mph before reaching a sharp curve in 

the track where, by the railroad’s own 

rules, the maximum authorized speed 

was reduced to 30 mph. A preliminary 

review of the information on the 

locomotive event recorders by NTSB 

indicates that the train was traveling 

approximately 82 mph as it entered the 

curve’s 30-mph speed restriction. This 

means Train 8808 was exceeding the 

maximum authorized speed on the 

straightaway by 12 mph and traveling 

nearly three times the railroad’s 

maximum authorized speed as it 

entered the curve. Information obtained 

from the train’s event recorders also 

indicates that approximately six 

seconds before the locomotive came to 

a stop, the locomotive throttle was 

placed in idle and an application of the 

train’s brake system was made. 

FRA’s accident statistics reveal that 

the railroad industry’s recent safety 

record with regard to this area of 

compliance on main tracks is good, but 

FRA believes the December 1 accident 

highlights the need to remain vigilant in 

ensuring employee compliance with 

operational speed limits and restrictions 

for trains and locomotives. As such, 

FRA intends to focus its inspections on 

railroad operational testing activity over 

the next several months on compliance 

with maximum authorized train speeds 

and relevant speed restrictions. FRA 

strongly encourages railroads and other 

industry members to re-emphasize the 

importance of compliance with 

maximum authorized train speeds and 

any applicable speed restrictions, and to 

conduct operational testing at a level 

that will ensure compliance with all 

posted speed restrictions. 

Recommended Railroad Action: In 

light of the recent accident discussed 

above, and in an effort to ensure the 

safety of the Nation’s railroads, their 

employees, and the general public, FRA 

recommends that railroads do each of 

the following: 

(1) Review the circumstances of the 

December 1, 2013, Spuyten Duyvil 

derailment with each of their operating 

employees. 

(2) Provide instruction to their 

employees during training classes and 

safety briefings on the importance of 

compliance with maximum authorized 

train speed limits and other speed 

restrictions. This training should 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
76192 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 241 / Monday, December 16, 2013 / Notices 

include discussion of the railroad’s 

absolute speed limits, speed restrictions 

based on physical characteristics, 

temporary speed restrictions, and any 

other restrictions commonly 

encountered. 

(3) Remind their employees that 

Federal railroad safety regulation, at 49 

CFR 240.305(a)(2) and 242.403(e)(2), 

prohibits the operation of a locomotive 

or train at a speed which exceeds the 

maximum authorized speed by at least 

10 mph. 

(4) Evaluate quarterly and 6-month 

reviews of operational testing data as 

required by 49 CFR 217.9. A railroad 

should consider increasing the 

frequency of operational testing where 

its reviews show any non-compliance 

with maximum authorized train speeds. 

A significant number of operational 

tests should be conducted on trains that 

are required to reduce speed by more 

than 20 mph from the maximum 

authorized train speed. Operational tests 

should use the reliable methods 

available, such as reviewing locomotive 

event recorder data and testing by radar 

to verify compliance with maximum 

authorized speeds. 

(5) Reinforce the importance of 

communication between train 

crewmembers located in the controlling 

locomotive, particularly during safety 

critical periods when multiple tasks are 

occurring (e.g., copying mandatory 

directives, closely approaching or 

passing fixed signals and/or cab signals 

at a reduced speed, approaching 

locations where the train’s movement 

authority is being restricted, during 

radio conversations with other 

employees or job briefings about track 

characteristics) and during extended 

periods of inactivity. 

FRA encourages all railroad industry 

members to take actions consistent with 

the preceding recommendations. FRA 

may modify this Safety Advisory 2013– 

08, issue additional safety advisories, or 

take other appropriate action necessary 

to ensure the highest level of safety on 

the Nation’s railroads, including pursing 

other corrective measures under its rail 

safety authority. 

Issued in Washington, DC on December 10, 

2013. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety 

and Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2013–29762 Filed 12–13–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Surface Transportation Board 

[Docket No. AB 290 (Sub-No. 359X)] 

Norfolk Southern Railway Company— 

Discontinuance of Service 

Exemption—in Isle of Wight, 

Southampton, Greensville, and 

Brunswick Counties, VA. 

On November 26, 2013, Norfolk 

Southern Railway Company (NSR) filed 

with the Surface Transportation Board 

(Board) a petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 

for exemption from the provisions of 49 

U.S.C. 10903 to discontinue service over 

approximately 53.2 miles of rail line, 

extending from milepost FD 37.0 near 

Franklin to the end of the line at 

milepost FD 90.2 at Edgerton, in Isle of 

Wight, Southampton (including the 

independent City of Franklin), 

Greensville (including the independent 

City of Emporia), and Brunswick 

Counties, Va. (the Line). The Line 

traverses United States Postal Service 

Zip Codes 23829, 23837, 23844, 23847, 

23851, 23856, and 23868, and includes 

the stations of Lawrenceville, Edgerton, 

Kingsberry, Emporia, Green Plain, 

Drewryville, Capron, and Courtland. 

According to the petition, the Line is 

stub-ended and therefore not capable of 

handling overhead traffic. 

NSR states that, based on information 

in its possession, the Line does not 

contain federally granted rights-of-way. 

Any documentation in NSR’s possession 

will be made available promptly to 

those requesting it. 

The interest of railroad employees 

will be protected by the conditions set 

forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad— 

Abandonment Portion Goshen Branch 

Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & 

Bonneville Counties, Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 

91 (1979). 

By issuance of this notice, the Board 

is instituting an exemption proceeding 

pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final 

decision will be issued by March 14, 

2014. 

Because this is a discontinuance 

proceeding and not an abandonment 

proceeding, interim trail use/rail 

banking and public use conditions are 

not appropriate. Similarly, no 

environmental or historic 

documentation is required under 49 

CFR 1105.6(c)(2) and 1105.8(b). 

Any offer of financial assistance 

under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) to subsidize 

continued rail service will be due no 

later than March 24, 2014, or 10 days 

after service of a decision granting the 

petition for exemption, whichever 

occurs sooner. Each offer must be 

accompanied by a $1,600 filing fee. See 

49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25). 

All filings in response to this notice 

must refer to Docket No. AB 290 (SubNo. 359X) and must be sent to: (1) 

Surface Transportation Board, 395 E 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20423– 

0001; and (2) Robert A. Wimbish, Baker 

& Miller PLLC, 2401 Pennsylvania 

Avenue NW., Suite 300, Washington, 

DC 20037. Replies to the petition are 

due on or before January 6, 2014. 

Persons seeking further information 

concerning discontinuance procedures 

may contact the Board’s Office of Public 

Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and 

Compliance at (202) 245–0238 or refer 

to the full abandonment and 

discontinuance regulations at 49 C.F.R. 

pt. 1152. Questions concerning 

environmental issues may be directed to 

the Board’s Office of Environmental 

Analysis (OEA) at (202) 245–0305. 

[Assistance for the hearing impaired is 

available through Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877– 

8339.] 

Board decisions and notices are 

available on our Web site at 

‘‘WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.’’ 

Decided: December 10, 2013. 

By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, 

Director, Office of Proceedings. 

Derrick A. Gardner, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2013–29781 Filed 12–13–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

[OMB Control No. 2900–0783] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities Under OMB Review 

AGENCY: Veterans Health 

Administration, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 

(44 U.S.C. 3501–3521), this notice 

announces that the Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA), Department of 

Veterans Affairs, has submitted the 

collection of information abstracted 

below to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for review and comment. 

The PRA submission describes the 

nature of the information collection and 

its expected cost and burden and 

includes the actual data collection 

instrument. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before January 15, 2014. 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES